Battersea (Ontario) - human settlement in Ontario, Canada

Battersea is a community in the township of South Frontenac, Ontario, 20 km north of Kingston. Battersea is well known for its fishing and outdoor activities as it is close to Loughborough Lake, Dog Lake and the Rideau Canal Waterway.

Understand

History

Henry Van Luven, a veteran of the War of 1812 Battle of Lundy's Lane, was the founder of the village of Battersea in 1840 when he bought 1,200 acres (4.9 km²) of Crown land at the time of the development of the Rideau Canal. He called it Van Luven's Mills, then Rockland. The post office requested it be renamed to avoid confusion with a similarly named city elsewhere in the province. His first choice was to name it after a section of London, England and that was accepted. He gave 200 acres (0.81 km²) to each of his six sons and lots in the village of Battersea to his daughters. Henry built the stone mill in Battersea.

The large Van Luven family home is on a rise at the entrance to what is now Battersea. In 1912 the home was converted into a fishing lodge, now called the Holiday Manor Northern Lodge.

Get in

From Kingston and Kingston Mills, take Battersea Road (Montréal Street, 401 exit 619) northbound to Battersea.

From elsewhere in the Rideau Canal system (including Smiths Falls), take 15 south and cross the canal near Brewers Mills (any of Burnt Hills Road, CR12 - Sunbury Road or Washburn Road join Hwy 15 to CR 11 - Battersea Road). While the Battersea Road continues north to end at Highway 15, this becomes a winding road and progressively more difficult as one continues north through Frontenac County.

From Westport, take CR 10 - Perth Road south to Inverary, then turn east.

Get around

This is a large rural area with small villages, most or all of which are only reachable by car.

See

• A total solar eclipse on Monday 8 April 2024 starts at 3:23PM local time and lasts almost two minutes. The chances of a clear sky are 35%. The track of totality is northeast from Mexico and Texas to Ohio, straddling the Canada–New England border through Lakes Erie and Ontario, then across Maine, New Brunswick and Newfoundland.
• The Rideau Canal. A UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Upper Brewers Locks are east of Battersea, on the Cataraqui River south of Cranberry Lake.

Do

• Loughborough Lake Marina, 2279 Loughborough View Road (off Battersea Road), 44.438452889510835°, -76.3875961303711°, +1 613-353-6205. M-Sa 8AM-4PM. Docking and storage, boat sales and rental, ATVs, trailers, fuel. Adjacent to Loughborough Inn.

Buy

Eat

• Creekside Bar & Grill, 2261 Wellington, Battersea, +1 613-353-1102. W-Sa 11:30AM-10PM, Su 11AM-10PM. Live music on the weekend, homemade pub food (with vegetarian choices), good selection of drafts and beverages, great summer patio. 2018-07-09
• The Junction Restaurant, 295 Highway 15, Seeley's Bay (15 km NE at the junction with Highway 32), +1 613-387-3232. Diner with lots of gluten-free choices. 2019-05-12

Drink

Sleep

• Holiday Manor Northern Lodge, 5208 Battersea Rd, +1 613-353-2211. 22-room inn and marina at the base of Loughborough Lake with lounge, pool room, games room, tackle shop and boat rentals. $150-160/person/day, meals included, $100/person reservation deposit
• Loughborough Inn, 2340 Loughborough View Road, +1 613-353-2600. Lakefront cottages and chalets near marina on Loughborough Lake. Cabins from $200-300/night, with 2-3 night minimum
• Lake Sun, 6566 Lakesun Lane, RR #1 Perth Road Village K0H 2L0, 44.46605°, -76.49194°, +1 613-549-7583 or +1 613-353-2463. Late May to 1 October (weather permitting). Quiet lakefront camp ground with sandy beach; gasoline motors are not permitted on the lake. Accommodates RV/caravans up to 25 ft; 30 serviced camp sites (15A electricity, no running water), 25 unserviced sites, one cottage and three small cabins. Established 1960 as a seasonal family naturist (nudist) club, As of spring 2017 Lakesun is no longer naturist.

Connect

Nearby

Chaffey's Lock

A small community along the Rideau Canal, where the old Cataraqui railway (now a trail) crossed the canal near lock 37.

• Lockmaster's House Museum, 1661 Chaffey's Lock Rd, 44.57895°, -76.31932°. 9:30AM-5PM (summer only).
• The Opinicon, 1697 Chaffey’s Lock Road, 44.5790°, -76.3178°, +1 613-359-5233. An historic lodge and residence, now restored as a restaurant and pub, with a cafe serving ice cream. 2023-02-17

Sydenham

• Frontenac Provincial Park, 1090 Salmon Lake Road, Sydenham, 44.5048°, -76.5551°, +1 613-376-3489. 30 minutes north of Kingston by car, provides opportunities for walking and picnicking, fishing, canoeing, wildlife viewing, boating, swimming and cycling. Winter activities.

Go next

• Westport — a rural village with various stores selling crafts on the main street, as well as motel and bed and breakfast accommodation.
• Kingston — on Lake Ontario, at the end of the Rideau Canal.